Creating a mosaic dataset from an existing raster catalog or mosaic dataset

This topic applies to ArcEditor and ArcInfo only.

A mosaic dataset can be created to reference a raster catalog or another mosaic dataset.

Some reasons for choosing to create a mosaic dataset from a raster catalog

You have an existing raster catalog that you want to serve as a catalog.

You cannot serve raster catalogs directly, as there are many properties that need to be defined. Therefore, you can create a mosaic dataset from the raster catalog that can be served.

You do not have write access to a geodatabase.

When you create a mosaic dataset from a raster catalog, you have the option to save it within a geodatabase or to another location on disk. The only times where you can save a mosaic dataset outside a geodatabase is when it is created from a raster catalog or another mosaic dataset. In this case, it will be saved with an *.amd extension.

You have an existing raster catalog, and you don't want to spend the time reloading the same raster data into a mosaic dataset.

Some reasons for choosing to create a mosaic dataset from a mosaic dataset

You have a mosaic dataset that you want others to access, but you don't want to chance that someone could alter the properties and functions you have defined.

You have a master mosaic dataset containing all your data and you want to create mosaic datasets using only specific rasters that may be similar products (such as aerial photographs or DEMs) or dates.

You have a mosaic dataset containing all your imagery and you want to create multiple outputs using different functions, such as an NDVI from red and near infrared bands, or a pan-sharpened mosaic.

You have a mosaic dataset containing a large coverage of imagery and you want to provide multiple views that are limited to smaller areas within the coverage, such as by county in a state mosaic dataset, or to your project's area of study, such as a watershed.

When you create a mosaic dataset from an existing raster catalog or mosaic dataset, you cannot build overviews, calculate pixel size ranges, add functions at the raster level, or add new raster data.

To create a mosaic dataset from an existing raster catalog, you can right-click the raster catalog in ArcCatalog or the Catalog window and select Create Referenced Mosaic Dataset. This will open the Create Referenced Mosaic Dataset tool. Or, you can directly access and open the Create Referenced Mosaic Dataset tool.

You can create a mosaic dataset that references all the items in a raster catalog or mosaic dataset, or you can define a limited number of items, by

Making a selection in the raster catalog or mosaic dataset (in ArcMap)

Defining a query

Defining the extent using coordinates, a dataset, or a polygon in a feature class